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   Slight

   /slīt/

   

   adjective

   • 1. small in degree; inconsiderable: "a slight increase" Similar smallmodestlittletinyminuteinappreciableimperceptibleinfinitesimalhardly worth mentioningnegligibleinconsiderableinsignificantminimalmarginalremotescantslimoutsidefaintvaguesubtlegentleinformal:minusculerare:exiguousOpposite bigconsiderable
   • ▪ (especially of a creative work) not profound or substantial; somewhat trivial or superficial: "a slight plot" Similar minorinconsequentialtrivialtriflingunimportantlightweightsuperficialshallowof little accountpettypaltryinformal:penny-antetwopenny-halfpennynickel-and-dimeOpposite majorsubstantial
   • 2. (of a person or their build) not sturdy and strongly built: "she was slight and delicate-looking" Similar slimslenderslightly builtpetitediminutivesmalldelicatedaintysmall-bonedelfinthinskinnysize-zerosparepunyundersizedfrailweakweeinformal:pint-sizedpocket-sizerare:gracileattenuateOpposite sturdyburlymuscular

   verb

   • 1. insult (someone) by treating or speaking of them without proper respect or attention: "he was careful not to slight a guest"
   • 2. raze or destroy (a fortification): archaic "a Council determined whether the Fort should be kept or slighted"

   noun

   • 1. an insult caused by a failure to show someone proper respect or attention: "an unintended slight can create grudges"

   Word Origin Middle English; the adjective from Old Norse sléttr ‘smooth’ (an early sense in English), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch slechts ‘merely’ and German schlicht ‘simple’, schlecht ‘bad’; the verb (originally in the sense ‘make smooth or level’), from Old Norse slétta. The sense ‘treat with disrespect’ dates from the late 16th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. slightish adjective
   • 2. slightness noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

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